Combined solarium and airing cabinet



YM. E. TRoNE COMBINED SOLARIUMAND AIRING .CABINET Feb.- 22, 1944.

Filed Aug. 18, '194:5

L Uf J Patented Feb. 22, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COMBINED SOLARIUM AND AIRING CABINET Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in a combined solarium and airing cabinet, especially adapted for babies and small children, and it con- Vsists of the matters hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

One` of the objects of the present invention is to provide a device that may be readily positioned in the lower part of a window opening in a home, to receive a baby either for treating the same to the beneficial rays of the sun or for airing the baby.

Another object of. the invention is to provide a device of this kind which may be so positioned in a window opening, as .to preclude its accidental falling therefrom but which may be readily removed from the opening when it is so desired.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this kind wherein; one of the parts thereof may be used as an inner end door for the cabinet or a table-like support upon which the baby may be placed when changing its clothing or otherwise attending the same.4

Also, it is, an object of the invention to provide a device of this kind wherein ventilation therethrough may be controlled and at the same time prevent the entrance of weather elements or insects so that the `baby is fully protected at all times.

Again, it is an objectof the invention to provide a device of this kind which is of a simple construction and which may be disassembled by inexperienced persons for storage in a comparatively small space and may also be easily reassembled for use. Y

The above mentioned objects of the invention, as well as others together with the advantages thereof will more fully appear as the specication proceeds.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the device ready for application ina window opening.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view through the same, from its inner end to its outer end, when .in position within an associated window opening.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal detail sectional View through one side of the device, on a somewhat enlarged scale, as taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

In general the improved solarium and baby airing cabinet includes an upright frame adapted to be set in the outer sash grooves of a conventional sliding window frame, when the upper sash is in its normal position. The size of this frame' is. of. course, decidedby the size of` the window opening in which it is to be used. This frameis made todeiine an opening that may be closed by a bottom hinged door. When the door is in its open horizontal position, itprojects into the room of which the window forms. a part and there provides a dressing table for use in connection with the cabinet. The cabinet includes Va generally hol-A low, rectangular body whichis detachably connected to parts of the frame about the opening therein and such a body includes an imperforate horizontal bottom, upright sides and outer end walls. and an inclined top wall. The bottom iits in a horizontal supporting frame which is operatively connected at its inner end to the` upright frame and guy members connect the outer endof the horizontal frame to parts of thewindow casing with which the device is used.

The outer end wall, which is relatively low in height, forms a part of a channel along the outer bottom corner of the body and said Wall has air inlet openings therein and the top wall of the channel has upwardly opening outlet openings therein whereby outside air may enter the body Without a drafty action. A pad rests on the bottom wall inwardly of the channel and upon which a baby may be disposed. A deflector is associated with this channel to direct the incoming air away from the baby, into the upper part of the cabinet body. A closure-like member is hinged to the top edge of the outer wall and its top edge is connected, by a flexible perforate material such as bobbinet, to the top edge of an opening formed at the rear of the body. This member may be swung into an open or closed position and gussetlike pieces of foldable material connect the sideedge of this member with parts of the wall.

The closure member mentioned, as well vas the side walls and the top wall, are made of a transparent material which will permit the beneficial rays of the sun to pass therethrough. A plastic known as vitaglass well answers the purpose and it is not shatterable. l

Associated with the inner ends of the side walls are upright imperforate panel-like parts in which are screened ventilation openings and on the ing as at I3, whereby the closure member may be swung from a position closing said opening, as shown in Fig. 1, to a position uncovering said opening as shown in Fig. 2.

Centrally of the upper portion of the frame is a pivoted latch I4 whereby the member I2 may be detachably secured in the closed position. Flexible guy members I5 are secured to the frame at I6 and to the member I2 as at I1, which guy members support the closure member in a Chorizontal position, in which position it forms a table-like support upon which a baby may be placed for proper attention. For this reason, av

cushion or pad I8 is attached upon that side of the member I2 which forms the upper sidev support forming position.

If desired, but not absolutely necessary, I` may provide on the other side of the member I2, a pair of laterally spaced folding legs I9. When the member I2. is in the closed position shown in Fig. 1, these legs fold in against said member. As said member I2 is swung outwardly and downwardly into horizontal position shown in Fig; 2, said legsswing relatively thereto into a vertical position and give additional support for the free margin of the saidmember.

Fixed to and projecting outwardly from the bottom end of the frame I, is a horizontal frame of angleloar-like material. This frame, which isrectangular in plan, receives the bottom end of an open front body for the cabinet 2|. As said frame bears the weight of said body it is provided at the sides of its outer end with lateral extensions 22 to which one end of a guy chain 23 is attached, the other end of said chain being Xed to a part of the window casing in which the device is used. Each chain 23 is provided with a turnbuckle 24 (see Fig. 2) whereby the eective length of the respective chains may be accurately provided.

The body 2| includes a relatively `low upright outer end wall 25 of opaque material and in said wall are air inlet openings 26y as best shown inV Fig. 2. This end Wall rises from an imperiorate horizontal bottom wall 21 and inwardly'of said wall 25 is a chamber or channel 28. In the horizontal top wall of this chamber are air outlet openings 29 iis/"hereby outside air, that has entered the channel 28 through the openings 26, may pass upwardly into the interior of the body 2|'. The front end of the bottom' 21 is turned upwardly as a vertical flange 3l) and which extends above the bottom of the opening IIin the frame I.

That part of the bottom between the channel 28 and the flange 30 supports a pad or cushion 3|, upon which a baby may be placed. The iront top edge of the channel 28 has a nap 32 hinged thereto as at 32a. snap spring action type, similar to that employed in spectacle cases and snaps either to opened or closed positions. Thus it may be moved from the position shown in Fig. 1 wherein it deflects incoming air away from th'e baby on the pad to a position closing oi the openings in the top wall of the channel.

An opening 33 is provided in the rear or outer end of. the body above the wall 25. Associated with this opening is a closure 34 preferably made of material which permits the passage of the benecial rays of the sun therethrough. This closure is hinged as at 35 (see Fig. 2) to the top edge oi the wall 25, whereby it may be swung This hinge is of the ing.

from a position covering or closing said opening to a position uncovering said opening when more ventilation is desired for the interior of the cabinet.

To prevent the entrance or dust, insects and the like into the body of the cabinet when the closure is in the position shown in Fig. 2, I provide a oldable strip of open textile material 36 and fix one margin thereof to the top margin of the closure 3| and the.- other margin to the inside of an angle bar 31 that deiines the upper rear or outer corner of the body. Also, I affix a gusset 38 of similar material to the end edges of the closure member 3| and to the inside of upright rear end corner angle bars 39, as appears in Fig. 3. Of course, any suitable latch means (not shown) may be employed to detachably lock the closure 3| in the position covering the open- With' the arrangement described, insects cannot enter the body when the member 3| is in the open position. Air entering the cabinet body throughV the opening 33 is deflected into the upper portion of the cabinet body so that no undesirable draft can affect the baby in the cabinet body.

At the front end of the body is a top angle bar member 4i! and side angle bar member 4|. The bar 40 includes a vertical flange 42 and 'a horizontal ange 43. The bar kII includes right angle anges 44 and 45 respectively as shown in Fig. 3. The anges 42 and 44 are adapted for engagement with one side of the frame I2 and defines an opening .46 that lines up with the opening II of the frame III. .The flanges 42. and 44 project inwardly beyond the opening. and form a stop for the closure. I2 of the frame. Preferably the ianges 42 and 44 are detachably affixed to the frame by bolts 41. Thus in accommodating different size windows, the frame I0 is made to fit a particular window opening and the cabinet body is then attached to the 'frame by the inside of this ange there are pivoted damper in Fig. 2 and by turning the damper into another' position the damper closes the associated open-y ing 48 as is evident from the top damper in Fig. 2. The screen may be of ne mesh so asto act as a filter or separate air filter means may be provided in the openings, if desired.

Theftop wall 5I of the body of the cabinet is inclined downwardly and outwardly-as a water shed and the front and rear ends extend under and are fixed to the flange 43 and angle bar 31 respectively. The side margins of this top'wall extend under an angle bar 52 as shown in Fig. 1 and which extends'from the top front corner to the top rear corner of the cabinet body. The side walls 53 of said body are disposed inside the flanges 45 and angle bars 31 respectively and thewindow frame is removed from the window framei and the uppersash 62 is-left in lits normall position and the lower sash 63 is raised inv its groove 64 to an upper position. Wththe cabinet as a whole in its closed condition as shown in Fig. 1, the frame Il is positioned in place with `its bottom flange resting on the sill 65. Thereafter :the strips 6i! are replaced and the upper end of the guys 23 iixed to the sides of the window frame. By turning the turnbuckles 24 in said guys, the latter are properly adjusted. If necessary, the iianges at the sides of the frame may be further secured by suitable screws.

Thus the member I2 is disposed to the inside of the room of which the window forms a part and is readily accessible for opening and closing. When the member I2 is opened, the baby may be passed into the cabinet body and placed upon the pad I8. Also at this time the dampers 49 and the closure member 3| may be manipulated to provide the desired ventilation without drafts. When the member I2 is in the open position, it provides a table-like support disposed in the room and upon which the baby may be placed when giving it the attention it needs.

By the use of a folding awning 56 (see Fig. 2), which may be supported in conventional manner, it is possible to shade so much of the cabinet from the suns rays except during such period as the child is to be given a sun bath.

By the use of the cabinet, a baby may be subjected to controlled sun bathing and airing and is amply protected from the adverse weather elements and from insects.

The various frame bars mentioned are preferably secured together in operative relation by screws or bolts so that after the cabinet body 2I is removed from the frame III, it may be taken apart and arranged as a package convenient for storage in a small space.

While I have referred in detail to the form arrangement and construction of the parts involved, the same is to be considered only in the illustrative sense so that I do not wish to be limited thereto except as may be specifically set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A device of the kind described embodying therein a cabinet body having an opening at its inner end and an opening at its outer end and including top, bottom and side walls, the top and side walls including parts made of material for the passage of beneficial rays of the sun therethrough, means providing a channel within and along the outer bottom corner of the cabinet body and having an air inlet opening and upwardly facing air outlet openings therein, a closure hinged to a part of said channel providing means for covering and uncovering said opening in the outer end of the body, and foldable means between the top and side margins of said closure and parts of the cabinet body deiining the opening at the outer end of the body, and means to which the inner end of the cabinet body is attached, said means being adapted to be secured in a window opening and including a doored opening for communication with the opening at the inner end of the cabinet body.

2. A device of the kind described embodying therein a cabinet body having an opening at its inner end and an opening at its outer end and including top, bottom and side walls, the top and side walls including parts made of material for the passage of beneficial rays of the sun therethrough, means providing a channel within and along the outer bottom corner of the cabinet body and having an air inlet opening and upwardly facing air outlet openings therein, a member hav;- ing a hinged connection with a part of said channel providing means, and movable into a position closing said upwardly facing` air outlet openings to a position for deilecting `the air passing through said openings into the upper portion of the cabinet body, a closure hinged to apart `of said channel providing means for` covering and uncovering the opening at the outer end of the body, and means to which the inner end of the cabinet body is attached, said means being adapted to be secured in a window opening and including a doored opening for communication with the opening at the inner end of the cabinet body.

3. A device of the kind described embodying therein a cabinet body having an opening at the inner end and an opening at its outer end and including top, bottom and side walls, parts of the top and side walls being made of material for the passage of beneficial rays of the sun therethrough, other parts of certain of said side walls having openings therein and carrying parts whereby said openings may be opened or closed, means providing a channel along the outer bottom corner of the cabinet body and having air inlet openings and upwardly facing air outlet openings therein, a member having a hinged connection with a part of the channel providing means and movable into a position closing said upwardly facing air outlet openings for deiiecting the air passing through said openings into the upper part of the cabinet body, there being air inlet openings in other parts of said side walls, means for opening and closing said openings, and means to which the inner end of the cabinet body is attached, said means being adapted to be secured in a window opening and including a doored opening for communication with the opening at the inner end of the cabinet body.

4. A device of the kind described embodying therein a cabinet body having an opening at its inner end and an opening at its outer end and including top, bottom and side walls, the top and side walls including parts made of material for the passage of beneficial rays of 4the sun therethrough, means providing a channel within and along the outer bottom corner of the cabinet body and having an inlet opening and upwardly facing air outlet openings therein, a closure hinged to a part of said channel providing means for covering and uncovering said opening in the outer end of the body, upright means adapted to be disposed in a window opening and to which the inner end of said body is attached, said means having an opening therein in communication with the opening in the inner end of the cabinet body, a door hinged to said means at the bottom of the opening therein, and which door, when in a position uncovering said opening, being in a substantially horizontal position to provide a table-like support.

5. A device of the kind described embodying therein an upright member adapted to be disposed in a window opening and having an opening therein, a door for covering and uncovering said opening, a cabinet body having an open inner end deiined at least in part by an inturned iiange which is adapted for engagement with said member, means for securing said flange to said one side of said member, the cabinet body including a bottom, side, top and outer end walls, the outer end wall being formed to define an opening therein, said top and side Walls being made of material that permits the passage of within and adjacent said outer end wall and the beneficial rays of the sun therethrough, a having air inlet and outlet openings therein, and member mounted on the outer wall part below .a member mounted on said channel providing the associated opening and operable to open and means'and movable to either open the same and close the same, means in part of said side walls 5 form a deflection for the incoming air, or for closproviding airv inlet openings therethrough, ing the' same.

dampers, one associated with each of said openi MAUD E. TRONE. ings for opening and closing the same, a ehannel 

